Selecting Your Personal Fragrance

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Did you know that most people can distinguish between 3,000 and 10,000 different smells?

So why is it so difficult to select one personal fragrance?

Because even though we can detect many scents, our sense of smell is closely tied to our subconscious. Smells evoke a multitude of memories and associations that can be pleasant (the sea breeze you remember from your honeymoon hideaway), nostalgic (your ex-boyfriend's after-shave!) or right down dreadful (that musty perfume Aunt Olivia always wore). For those reasons, selecting a personal fragrance can be a daunting task.

To help you pick just the right fragrance for you, here are a few tips and suggestions from the beauty experts at H-E-B.

What is the difference among perfume, cologne and other fragrances?

Splash colognes contain the least amount of perfume oil, about 0.5 to 2 percent.
Eau de cologne contains about 3 to 5 percent.
Eau de toilette contains about 4 to 8 percent.
Eau de parfum contains about 15 to 18 percent.
Perfume has the strongest scent of all because it contains the greatest amount perfume oil, so use it sparingly.
Other scented ingredients that are added to colognes and perfumes include: ginger, grapefruit, musk, mandarin peel, fig leaves, rose, watercress, vanilla, honeysuckle and green tea, among others.
A perfume can include anywhere from 10 to more than 250 ingredients.

How should I select a fragrance?
Think of other scents that appeal to you. For example, if you like the smell of honeysuckle or roses, consider a light, flowery scent. More outdoors-y? Try a woodsy or ocean breeze fragrance. Bottom line: Take a clue from the everyday scents you prefer in soaps, shampoos, candles or potpourris, then go from there. Test just four fragrances at a time. More than that is just too confusing.

Where should I apply my fragrance?
The best spots to apply perfume are your pulse points where the skin is warmer, such as the inner elbow and wrists, cleavage, on your temples and below your ear lobes. You may also spray some on the nape of the neck, along the shoulders and very lightly on your hair.

You might also lightly spray your fragrance on a tissue, then tuck it in your purse or lingerie drawer. Spritz a bit on your scarf, in your closet or on your hair or hairbrush.

How long can I use a perfume bottle?
To prolong the scent of perfume, place the bottle in a cool dry place. Exposure to sun can lead to discoloration, evaporation and loss of scent. Once you open the bottle, try to use it within six months.

For help in selecting the right fragrance for you, talk to the beauty advisor in the Beauty aisle of your local H-E-B store.

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